> with such a heavy global debate on what may or may not constitute PhD! But
> ultimately my aim is not to produce a design, not a piece of art, but a
> theoretical and methodological contribution to architectural education.
Catherine- your aim is very similar to the aim I had in my PhD. Although I
involved myself in the design of a guitar, it was for the purpose of
achieving another end: a theoretical and empirical contribution to (i)
design methods and (ii) research methods. I can identify with what you are
going through.
> I often have the problem within the design / architecture camps that I am
> not doing a PhD as I am not analysing other's practice and am considering
> my own practice as as example...though I do find when I explain what I am
> doing further this overcomes this problem. This seems to happen because of
> the PhD traditionally being severed from the actual practice of what you
> are doing (ie. a critique, post-occupancy evaluation, measurements, social
> study)...so I find that as soon as I mention that I am doing any kind of
> self-reflective practice I am isolated from this discourse...unless I
speak
> to empathetic arts academics that is!
I'm empathetic! Research involving own-practice reflection is wholly
acceptable to me, so long as the own-practice element has a clear purpose
and the work involved is clearly communicated. It was a central part of my
own thesis, and I think its use is broad and has great potential for
design-trained research students. As I've said before, I'd really like to
investigate the ways in which own-practice can be woven into a design
research degree. My aim is to showcase on-going and completed work in this
area on my web site (www.designphd.com). If anybody would like to
contribute, please get in touch.
> have to say! Thankyou again for your insights and I appreciate your
positions.
Thanks for your input. I'm just a fresh-faced PhD graduate wanting answers
to questions that continue to bug me having completed my degree. It's great
to be able to continue in these kinds of discussions.
Kind regards,
Owain
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